Prepare against Ilyass Msellek
IM · Morocco · World #1,521 classical · FIDE ID 675938
When preparing against Ilyass Msellek, expect 1.e4 in 51% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (44% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (49%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Rossolimo as White, 33.3% over 18 games.
Our database contains 923 games by Ilyass Msellek, covering Oct 2007 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Ilyass Msellek's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ilyass Msellek before a game. You can open the same data in the free interactive preparation workstation, which builds a move-by-move opening tree from every game.
Ratings
| Time control | Current | Peak | Peak date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical | 2,408 | 2,420 | Aug 2023 |
| Rapid | 2,365 | 2,368 | Mar 2023 |
| Blitz | 2,337 | 2,337 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 923 | 448 | 127 | 347 | 48.5% |
| As White | 465 | 239 | 61 | 164 | 51.4% |
| As Black | 458 | 209 | 66 | 183 | 45.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ilyass Msellek's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ilyass Msellek's side.
First moves as White (465 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 239 | 51.4% | 55.9% |
| d4 | 175 | 37.6% | 59.1% |
| Nf3 | 34 | 7.3% | 67.6% |
| d3 | 8 | 1.7% | 62.5% |
| b3 | 6 | 1.3% | 50.0% |
| Nh3 | 1 | 0.2% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 51% of White games, 55.9% score
- …c5 (44% of these games) — Msellek usually continues Nf3 (52.5% score)
- …e5 (23% of these games) — Msellek usually continues Nf3 (58.3% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Msellek usually continues d4 (57.4% score)
- 1.d4 — 38% of White games, 59.1% score
- …Nf6 (59% of these games) — Msellek usually continues Nf3 (64.4% score)
- …d5 (23% of these games) — Msellek usually continues Nf3 (65.9% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Msellek usually continues Nf3 (33.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (195 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 86 | 44.1% | 55.2% |
| d6 | 31 | 15.9% | 56.5% |
| c6 | 25 | 12.8% | 62.0% |
| e6 | 22 | 11.3% | 63.6% |
| Nf6 | 16 | 8.2% | 56.3% |
| e5 | 11 | 5.6% | 63.6% |
As Black against 1.d4 (176 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 86 | 48.9% | 41.9% |
| d6 | 48 | 27.3% | 64.6% |
| d5 | 23 | 13.1% | 50.0% |
| f5 | 10 | 5.7% | 60.0% |
| e6 | 4 | 2.3% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 3 | 1.7% | 100.0% |
Ilyass Msellek's chess games
All 923 games by Ilyass Msellek in the Chess.ceo database (Oct 2007 - Aug 2026) are free to browse, search and replay: filter by opening, opponent, event or date on the player page, or step through any game on the analysis board. Record: 448 wins, 127 draws, 347 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D00 | Indian Defense | 60 | 36/6/18 | 60.0% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 29 | 16/6/7 | 55.2% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 20 | 7/5/8 | 35.0% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 18 | 6/5/7 | 33.3% |
| D03 | Torre Attack | 17 | 11/0/6 | 64.7% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 15 | 9/0/6 | 60.0% |
| D04 | Colle System | 15 | 8/3/3 | 53.3% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 14 | 7/1/6 | 50.0% |
| B20 | Sicilian: Snyder Variation | 13 | 7/1/5 | 53.8% |
| E47 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 12 | 7/2/3 | 58.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C41 | Philidor | 37 | 18/4/15 | 48.6% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 33 | 12/6/15 | 36.4% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 31 | 13/7/11 | 41.9% |
| A41 | Indian Defense | 28 | 10/3/15 | 35.7% |
| B45 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 23 | 13/4/6 | 56.5% |
| A36 | English Opening | 21 | 10/4/7 | 47.6% |
| B04 | Alekhine Defense | 16 | 9/0/7 | 56.3% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 15 | 9/0/6 | 60.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 11 | 6/0/5 | 54.5% |
| A11 | Réti Opening | 10 | 2/5/3 | 20.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2024 | Erigaisi Arjun | 2,738 | Titled Tue Late | B18 |
| Aug 2025 | Matthias Bluebaum | 2,660 | Titled Tue Late | C11 |
| Oct 2025 | Dmitrij Kollars | 2,642 | Titled Tue | D03 |
| Mar 2023 | Sergey A. Fedorchuk | 2,636 | Paris Rapid Open | A46 |
| Apr 2025 | Jonas Buhl Bjerre | 2,636 | Titled Tue Late | C41 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 468 | 234 | 2,329 |
| ch-FRA U12 | 2010 | 24 | 18 | 1,949 |
| ch-FRA U14 | 2012 | 17 | 13 | 2,078 |
| Boudiba Memorial | 2020 | 15 | 8 | 2,385 |
| ch-FRA Blitz Online Qual | 2020 | 15 | 10.5 | 2,431 |
| ch-FRA U10 | 2008 | 11 | 9 | 1,686 |
| 1st 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 10 | 4.5 | 2,249 |
| Olympiad-44 | 2022 | 10 | 6.5 | 2,424 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Bilel Bellahcene (12 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 923 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ilyass Msellek's chess games?
923 games by Ilyass Msellek, from Oct 2007 to Aug 2026, are free to browse and replay move by move — no signup needed. The preparation view groups them into an opening tree showing every line Ilyass Msellek has played.
What does Ilyass Msellek play on the first move as White?
Across 465 games with White in our database, Ilyass Msellek opens with 1.e4 (51% of games), 1.d4 (38% of games), 1.Nf3 (7% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ilyass Msellek answers 1...c5 (44% of games), 1...d6 (16% of games), 1...c6 (13% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (49% of games), 1...d6 (27% of games), 1...d5 (13% of games).
What openings does Ilyass Msellek play as White?
As White, Ilyass Msellek's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (60 games, 60.0% win rate); Sicilian: Moscow Variation (29 games, 55.2% win rate); Sicilian (20 games, 35.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 465 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ilyass Msellek play as Black?
As Black, Ilyass Msellek most often plays: Philidor (37 games, 48.6% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (33 games, 36.4% win rate); Sicilian (31 games, 41.9% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 458 games.
What is Ilyass Msellek's FIDE rating?
Ilyass Msellek is currently rated 2,408 in classical chess, 2,365 in rapid and 2,337 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,420 (Aug 2023).
How many games has Ilyass Msellek played?
Our database contains 923 games by Ilyass Msellek, covering Oct 2007 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 448 wins, 127 draws, 347 losses (48.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ilyass Msellek?
923 games by Ilyass Msellek reveal their opening repertoire, most-played lines, and the variations where they score worst — the raw material for targeted preparation. The interactive opening tree lets you walk every line to any depth.